WINTER HAVEN, Fla.- The #18 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers couldn't get their bats going Wednesday night on the road at Polk State, managing just three hits in a 4-1 rubber game loss to the Eagles to drop the series 2-1.  

 

Things got off to an inauspicious start for the Bucs as they struck out three times in the top of the 1^st and Polk State cranked a solo home run to start their half of the inning and later added a second run on a two out single to take a quick 2-0 lead. 

 

After three more strikeouts in the 2^nd for FSW, Polk led off their second straight inning with a solo home run and backed it up with another to go up 4-0.  

 

Ben Petschke came out of the FSW bullpen and stemmed the tide from there, retiring the first nine hitters he faced and putting up three straight zeros to keep it a 4-0 game.  

 

The lone offensive highlight of the game for the Bucs came in the 6^th when Kendry Noriega launched a long solo home run with one out, but that was all FSW would muster as Polk went on to take the rubber game 4-1 to win the series 2-1.  

 

The game featured just nine total hits, six for Polk and only three for FSW. The Bucs bullpen provided much needed relief after the rough start as Petschke went 4 2/3 hitless frames, striking out nine before giving way to Riley Skeen who retired all six hitters he faced in the 7^th and 8^th to give the Bucs a chance late.  

 

FSW falls to 12-11 overall and 1-2 in Suncoast Conference play while Polk improves to 14-8 overall and 2-1 in league play.  

 

The Bucs will look to get back on track on Friday when they open a three game set with St. Petersburg on the road in Clearwater with first pitch scheduled at 1:00 PM.